Staple structure



Oct. 1, 1968 c. o LARSON 3,403,592

STAPLE STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 7, 1966 Jizuznf? Ckawld alkrzs'wz/ 3,403,592STAPLE STRUCTURE Charles 0. Larson, Sterling, 111., assignor to Charles0. Larson Co., Sterling, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 7,1966, Ser. No. 592,583 1 Claim. (Cl. 85-49) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Astaple having parallel legs including shank portions of a lengthapproximating that of the connecting base portion and terminating inelongate tip portions gradually tapered and symmetric to a central apexfacilitating driving of the staple into a support with reduced tendencytoward twisting of the legs.

This invention relates generally to a mounting assembly and moreparticularly to a staple.

Cables, conduits and other objects having a relatively largecross-sectional area are commonly mounted on a support surface or wallwith a metallic strap anchored by nails to the wall. The metallic strapusually extends across an outer surface of the object and is nailed tothe wall to clamp the object in abutting engagement with the wall. Thismethod of mounting an object requires that the object be firstpositioned in abutting engagement with the wall and the strap positionedrelative to the object. Then, while the strap and object are being heldin position, a first outer end of the strap is nailed to the wall. Themounting of the object is completed by nailing the other end of thestrap to the wall.

The above described method of mounting objects having a largecross-section on a support surface or Wall requires that the strap andobject be held with one hand while nails are pounded through thesubstantially unrestrained end of the strap. This simultaneous holdingand pounding is both difiicult and time consuming. The difiiculties areincreased by the necessity of stretching the strap tautly between thenails to provide the necessary clamping action to hold the object inplace on the support surface or wall. Once the object has been mountedby nailing the strap in place, it is extremely difficult to increase theclamping action of the strap against the object.

Therefore, a general objective of the present invention is to provide animproved staple type mounting which overcomes the aforementionedlimitation of prior art structures. Specifically, it is an object ofthis invention to provide a widespread staple for readily clampingobjects having a large cross-sectional area to a support surface. Moreparticularly, the invention provides a staple relatively dimensionedwith shank portions of the legs approximating the length of theconnecting base portion and with the shank portions terminating inelongate tip portions approximating one-half the length of the shankportions and providing peripherally symmetrical fiat surfaces taperingto a central apex to facilitate driving of the staple into a supportwithout twisting of the legs.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become moreapparent by a reading of the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustrating the positioning of a staplerelative to an object to be mounted on a support surface immediatelybefore the staple is driven into the support surface to mount theobject;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view illustrating the staple of FIG. 1 in anoperational position clampingly mounting an object on a support surface;

FIG. 3 is an end view, taken along the line 3-3 of nited States PatentOFIG. 2, illustrating the structure of an end portion of the staple;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG.2 further illustrating the structure of the end portion of the staple;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, of a staple formounting relatively delicate easily crushed objects; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view, similar to FIG. 2, illustrating thestaple of FIG. 1 in a mounting position retaining the delicate object ona support surface.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, a staple or mountingapparatus 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The staple 10 includes a pair ofspaced-apart leg sections 12 and 14. The leg sections 12 and 14 arepositioned with their central axes 16 and 18 in substantially parallelrelationship. Each of the leg sections 12 and 14 includes an inner shankor body portion 20 and an outer end or tip portion 22 which isintegrally formed with the shank portion 20. The leg sections 12 and 14are interconnected by a base section 24 which is integrally formed withthe leg sections and extends between the leg sections. The base section24 includes a pair of spaced apart shoulder portions 26 and 28 which arepositioned at opposite ends of the base section 24 adjacent to the legsections 12 and 14. The shoulder portions 26 and 28 are interconnectedby a central clamping portion 30.

The staple 10 is intended for use in mounting cables, conduits or otherobjects 40 having a relatively large crosssectional area on a mountingsurface 42 of a support member 44. From an inspection of FIG. 1, it willbe apparent that the object 40 has a diameter 46 of substantially thesame length as the length of the base section 24. It should be notedthat the shank or body portion 20 of the leg sections 12 and 14 hassubstantially the same length as the base section 24 and consequentlysubstantially the same length as the diameter 46 of the object 40. Sincethe base section 24 has substantially the same length as the diameter46, the shank portion 20 of the leg sections 12 and 14 tangentially,abuttingly engages opposite outer sides of the object 40.

The staple 10 is driven from the position shown in FIG. 1 to theposition shown in FIG. 2 by the alternate application of a strikingforce to the opposite shoulders 26 and 28 of the staple 10 with a heavyobject such as a hammer.

The alternate application of striking force to the drive or shoulderportions 26 and 28 of the staple drives the staple downwardly so thatthe central axes 16 and 18 of the leg sections 12 and 14 extendperpendicular to the support surface 42. After the outer or tip portions22 of the leg sections 12 and 14 have been driven into the supportmember 44, the base section 24 is in tangential abutting engagement withthe side of the object 40 which is outermost from the support surface42. A further alternate application of a striking force to the driveportions or shoulders 26 and 28 drives the shank portion 20 of the legsections 12 and 14 into the support member 44. As the shank portion 20of the leg sections 12 and 14 enter the support member 44 the centralportion 30 of the base section 24 is bent by abutting and clampingengagement with the object 40. The central portion 30 of the basesection 24 is bent outwardly with substantially the same curvature andconfiguration as the outer side of the object 40. This outward bendingaction of the object 40 on the base section 24 enables the leg sections12 and 14 of the staple 10 to be driven into the support member 44 sothat the shank portions 20 of the leg sections are driven into thesupport member to securely clamp the object 40 in position on thesupport surface 42.

Referring now to FIG. 3, taken in conjunction with FIG. 1, the legsections 12 and 14 are substantially cylindrical in shape. The basesection 24 is also cylindrical in shape, the staple having been formedfrom a continuous cylindrical member by bending the member at corners 50and 52 to form the staple 10. The tip portion 22 of each of the legsections 12 and 14 includes a plurality of sides or surfaces 56 through62 (see FIG. 3) which extend for the length of the tip section 22 toform a generally rectangular pyramid having its apex or peak 64positioned on a central axis of the leg sections.

As is perhaps best seen in FIG. 4, the end portion 22 is elongated toprovide relatively easy wedging engagement between the surfaces 56through 62 when the staple is driven into a support member 44. Since theapex 64 of the staple is positioned on the central axis 16 of the legsections of the staple, the support member 44 exerts a substantiallyeven force on all sides of the leg sections 12 and 14 when the staple isdriven into a support surface. Since the forces exerted by the wedgingengagement between the staple and the support member 44 are evenlypositioned relative to the central axis of the leg sections 12 and 14,the staple does not tend to pivot or twist about the leg sections as thestaple is driven into the support member 44. By experimentation it hasbeen determined that if slash or chisel points, that is a point beveledin only one direction and having its apex positioned off the center lineof the leg section, are used the staple tends to twist and collapse dueto the uneven application of force on the pointed end portions of theleg sections of the staple. It has also been determined that a staplehaving a tip or end section 22 of a length which is approximatelyonehalf the length of the base section 24 of the staple and the shankportion 20 of the staple is easiest to drive into the support member 44.

Referring now to FIGS. and 6, when a delicate easily crushed object,such as a thin-walled conduit 80 is to be mounted on a support surface82 of a support member 84, the base section of the staple cannot bedeformed by abutting engagement with the relatively thin-walled conduit80. Therefore, a second embodiment of the invention has been illustratedin the staple 90 of FIGS. 5 and 6 for monuting conduits 80 on supportmembers 84. The staple 90 includes a base section 92 which interconnectsa pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel leg sections 94 and 96.The leg sections 94 and 96 include an inner shank portion 100 and anouter tip or end portion 102.

The staple 90 is substantially similar in its construction to the stapleof FIGS 1 through 4.. However, the shank portion 100 of the leg sections94 and 96 is substantially longer in length than is the base portion 92of the staple 90. This longer shank section 100 enables the staple to bedriven, by the application of alternate striking forces to shoulder ordrive portions 106 and 108 of the base section 92 to mount the conduit80 on the support surface 82 with the leg sections 94 and 96 and thebase section 92 in tangential abutting engagement with the exteriorsurface of the conduit 80. Since the shank section 100 is substantiallylonger than the base section 92, the shank section 100 is positioned inlocking engagement with the support member 84 even though the basesection 92 is not deformed or bent by the alternate application of astriking force to the shoulders 106 and 108.

The manner in which the present invention may be practiced and thepurpose to which it may be put are evident from the foregoingdescription. Therefore it is not believed that a further functionaldescription of the mode of operation of the invention is necessary atthis time. However, it should be noted that the staple 10 includes apair of leg sections 12 and 14 having a shank portion 20 which issubstantially the same length as the base section 24 of the staple toprovide a staple suitable for mounting objects 40 having a relativelylarge cross-sectional area on a support member 44. The object 40 ismounted on the support member 44 by driving the staple through thealternate application of a striking force to the shoulder portions 26and 28. As the staple is driven into the support member 44, the centralportion 30 of the base section 24 is bent to clamp the object 40securely again t the support member 44. In a second embodiment of theinvention a staple 90 is provided for mounting conduits having arelatively large cross-sectional area. The staple differs from thestaple 10 in the provision of a shank portion having a length which issubstantially longer than the length of the base section of the staple92 to permit the conduit 80 to be mounted on a base member 84 withoutdeforming or bending the base section 92 of the staple by abuttingengagement with the thin-walled conduit 80.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it shouldbe understood, of course, that the invention is not limited theretosince many modifications may be made; and it is, therefore, contemplatedto cover by the appended claim any such modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A one-piece staple for mounting an object on a support member, saidstaple comprising: first and second leg sections of equal length havingspaced-apart substantially parallel central axes, each said leg sectionsincluding a shank portion for engaging opposite sides of the object anda tip portion, each said tip portion being substantially one-half thelength of its associated shank portion and including a plurality ofsubstantially fiat interconnected surfaces peripherally symmetricalmeeting at an apex to define a point on a central axis of the legsections; and a base section integrally formed with and interconnectingsaid leg sections with a central axis of the base section extendingperpendicular to the central axes of the leg sections, said base sectionhaving approximately the same length as the shank portions of said legsections and including a pair of drive portions located at opposite endsof said base section and a central portion interconnecting said driveportions, each of said shank portions and said base section being ofuniform circular cross section throughout substantially the entirelength thereof, and said leg sections and said base section each beingstraight throughout substantially its entire length, said staple beingadapted to be moved from a first position in which said base section issubstantially straight and spaced apart from the object to a secondposition in which said central portion of said base section is bentoutwardly by abutting engagement with a third side of the object andwith the drive portions depressed below the outwardly bent portion ofsaid base section to securely clamp the object to the support member,said staple being adapted to be moved from said first position to saidsecond position by the alternate application of a striking force to saiddrive portions of said base sec tion, said tip portions and said shankportions being in locking engagement with the support member when saidstaple is in the second position to securely mount the object on thesupport member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,562,681 11/1925 Bonaly 85-491,998,991 4/ 1935 Heller 85-49 2,132,295 10/1938 Hawkins 85-49 2,351,6086/ 1944 Greenwood 85-49 2,632,356 3/1953 Thiel 85-49 2,887,004 5/ 1959Stewart 85-49 3,154,999 11/1964 Stewart 85-49 303,398 8/ 1884 Phillips85-49 2,418,539 4/ 1947 Anderson 85-49 2,741,147 4/ 1956 Marano 85-492,918,240 12/1959 Wiegand 85-49 3,279,300 10/ 1966 Larson 248-71 CARL W.TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

R. S. BRITTS, Assistant Examiner.

